Safety Tip of the Week – Heart Attacks

Every single year there are 735,000 Americans who suffer heart attacks, according to the CDC. Out of that number, 525,000 of them are first time heart attack victims. Heart disease and heart attacks are an unfortunate reality in our country.

What to Do If Someone Has a Heart Attack:

If someone is experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack, be sure to take the appropriate steps to mitigate the effects of blood loss to the brain.

Call 911. Even if it ends up not being a heart attack it is truly better to be safe than sorry. Getting the proper medical attention quickly for a heart attack victim is his or her best chance to live.

Try to keep the person calm, and have him or her sit or lie down.

Have the person take an aspirin as long as he or she is not allergic and are conscious to do so.

If the person stops breathing, you or someone else who is qualified should perform CPR.o If you don’t know CPR, the 911 operator can assist you until the EMS personnel arrive.

Summary:

Know your emergency response plan at your worksite for a medical emergency like a heart attack. Knowing whom to call, what the address of the worksite is, and who is CPR trained onsite can save the victim’s life.